Field Check Operations Manual, 2009 - American Public Gardens ...

Do not enter a field check if the plant material is in any way questionable. Likewise, read
prior field check thoroughly; they may indicate error(s). Additional sleuthing may be
necessary (see pg. 14, Section 2.2.5. Step 5 – Complete Office Tasks, Consult).
a) Coarse identity – Does the plant and label information match? If the label and plant
do not match, additional verification may be necessary (see pg. 13, Verify Plant
Identity).
b) Condition – Assign a subjective health rating. The Arnold Arboretum has
operationally defined BG-BASE plant conditions as follows:
Making observations on living plants in the collection is an integral part of the
documentation process. In order to facilitate objectivity and to ensure common usage
among evaluators, the following standardized condition definitions are to be used as a
guide for staff and others during their plant health assessments. Special projects and/or
other collection management activities such as the Plant Health Program may dictate
additional plant condition use.
LIVING PLANT CONDITIONS:
Alive (A) - Plant present.
Primarily used in the dormant season or if none of the observations relate to
plant health: e.g., presence/absence notations, phenology, only
aesthetic/ornamental value, height/DBH measures, etc.
Historic evaluations; e.g., date or year noted on accession cards, maps,
correspondence, etc.
Check_note field use encouraged
Excellent (E) - An outstanding and/or exemplary plant, not just in good health
but thriving (vigorous).
No recent structural damage or defects; no pest(s) or disease(s)
Past damage has fully compartmentalized
Check_note field use required
Good (G) - A plant in good health, actively growing, no evidence of decline.
Minor structural damage or disease that is not significantly harming the plant
(e.g., powdery mildew can still grow on a ‚good‛ Syringa).
Compartmentalization proceeding well
Check_note field use encouraged
Fair (F) - A plant in minor decline (minimal vigor), but not life-threatening.
Notable pathological, structural, or physical damage
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